These Five Mistakes Can Prevent a Full Personal Injury Recovery!

Millions of people visit the emergency room yearly due to personal injury accidents. Although these injuries may not necessarily have been caused by car accidents, something other than car accidents could have happened. These include medical malpractice, accidental burns, slips and falls, drowning, dog bites, defective products, etc.

If you were a victim in any of these accidents, you may be able to file a personal injury claim. However, as simple as filing a claim may sound, the victims settle at least 95 percent of these cases without an attorney. Unfortunately, they settle for less than they should have gotten in or out of court.

Without the expert legal guidance of a personal injury attorney, you can make mistakes that can prevent a full recovery. With that said, here are some of the most common mistakes people who have suffered a personal injury make:

• Settling

Insurance companies leverage your lack of knowledge on how much your case is worth. If you are not financially well-to-do, you can be tempted by the seemingly large amount of money they propose. The problem is that that money may not be enough to help you recover fully.

Meanwhile, once you collect the settlement money, you give up your right to file any more future claims. You must understand that insurance companies do not care for your recovery, just their bottom line. They want to give you quick money and not the correct amount it will take you to settle your case.

• Delaying Medical Care

Another mistake people suffering from a personal injury make is delay visiting the doctor. This action can complicate your case because the opposition party can link the eventual visit to something other than the original incident.

Even if you must hitch an expensive ambulance ride, ensure you get to the hospital immediately after the incident. Moreover, the doctor’s visit itself is vital evidence that will go far in court for your case.

• Failing to Collect or Losing Collected Evidence

When you have been in an accident caused by someone else and intend to file a claim, you must gather evidence. This includes police reports, pictures and videos of the accident scene, medical bills, and witness testimonies, among other things.

Sometimes, people make the mistake of not collecting this important piece of evidence or losing it after collection. Not collecting evidence or losing them can poke significant holes in your personal injury case.

• Not Filing on Time

Each state has a statute of limitations placed on personal injury claims. For instance, the Texas statute of limitations for situations like this is two years; it can be shorter or longer in other states. This means you have only two years to file your claim, after which you lose your right to sue for compensation.

• Not Hiring a Lawyer

It is easy to overlook the importance of getting an attorney’s help when medical bills stack up. Plus, when things are unclear about your case, you may neglect to have a lawyer help you. However, getting an attorney you can trust who will fight for your best interests is best.

Conclusion

You may think your case does not fall into the personal injury category, but it is better to be told than to assume. “Many incidents fall into the personal injury category; therefore, you should consult a legal professional before writing off your chances, as you may have overlooked an angle or evidence, but your lawyer will spot it,” says personal injury Attorney Abraham Garcia of KGS Law PLLC.